Sewing machine



Dem-17, 1946.

H. J. LE VESCONTE ET AL SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 7, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "Q Q 52 (Q 6 g i m m NL m Dec. 17, 1946. H. J. LE VESCONTE E;IAL 2,412,894

SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 7, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I AT RNEY Patented Dec. 17, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEWING E Harold J. Le Vesconte, Western Springs, and Martin L. Cook, Chicago, Ill., assignors to UIllOIl Special Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 7, 1942, Serial No. 453,952

One object of the invention has been to provide asimple but effective arrangement for guiding and pulling the work and keeping it straight and under proper tension for some distance beyond the bight of the feed cups of a machine of the character indicated. For this purpose a spring urged plate is arranged to cooperate with one of the feed cups.

Another object of the invention has been to provide a chain cutter of the character indicated which is conveniently located and readily usable by the operator and one which, at the same time, requires a minimum amount of chaining between the successive pieces of hosiery or the like bein stitched. Toward this end a feature of the invention is the provision of the cutter on the work guiding member or puller plate mentioned above.

Another feature is the disposition of the cutting edge of the cutter in a substantially vertical plane. This not only provides for its use by a simple and natural movement of the hand of the operator, but also enables its location as near as possible to the bight of the feed cups, and practically at the point where the puller plate cooperates with one of the feed cups. In large measure this is responsible for the shortening of the chain between successive pieces of hosiery or the like. It permits the operator to gage accurately the position of the chain with respect to the cutting edge. The machine may thus be readily stopped at the correct point each time for the severing operation, The chain between articles need be of suflicient length only to permit the severance of the chain to be made without danger of injury to the connected articles. A substantial saving in thread is thus effected and, at the same time, the necessity of a separate trimming operation to remove the excess portion of the chain is eliminated.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the detailed description of an illustrative form of the same which will now be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. I is a side elevation of the upper portion of a machine embodying the invention, a part of the frame of the machine being broken away for betterlllustration of certain members.

Fig. II is an enlarged horizontal section along the line II-II of Fig. I.

Fig. III is a perspective view of the feed cups and associated devices.

Fig. IV is a detail view, in section along the line IVIV of Fig. II, showing the improved puller plate and cutter, and

Fig. V is a vertical section along the lineV.-V of Fig. II,

For purposes of illustration, but without intending to limit the invention thereto, it has been shown applied to a machine of the type disclosed in the Rubel et a1. Patent No. 2,043,711, granted June 9, 1936, with certain modifications disclosed in Hacklander Patent No. 2,043,749, granted June 9, 1936. Reference may be had to said prior patents for further details of the construction and arrangement of various portions of the machine not herein fully disclosed.

Referring now to the drawings, the machine may comprise a main frame 10, the lower end of which (not shown) is adapted to be supported by a suitable table and the upper end of which extends laterally to form an overhanging arm or bracket. A main operating shaft II is suitably journaled in the frame andis provided at one or' both ends, outside of the frame, with a combined hand-wheel and pulley l2. Power is supplied to the machine from any suitable source through .one of these pulleys and suitable connections from the shaft I I are provided within the frame for driving the various operating elements of the machine. The stitch-forming devices comprise a reciprocatory needle bar I3 mounted in a horizontally extending sleeve l4 mounted in and projecting from the front wall of the frame. This needle bar is adapted to carry and impart reciprocatory movements to a needle I 3a (Fig. II). A primary, thread carrying looper I5 is mounted on a rod or looper support It slidable endwise and oscillatable in a bearing sleeve or bushing {l1 extending through the forward wall of the frame and disposed at an appropriate angle in relation thereto. A second looper I8, which may be a .thread carrying looper or simply a spreader, as

desired, is mounted on a support I8a, for oscillation. only, in a bearing sleeve I9 extending through the frame wall in a direction parallel with the sleeve ll. By connection disclosed in said Rubel et al. patent, the needle and the two looper supports will be given the necessary reduce, for example, the long seam back of fulL-fashioned hosiery.

.The article to be stitched, is advanced in properly timed relation to the operation of the stitchforming devices by means of a pair of feed cups 20 and 2|. These, as illustrated, preferably have their upper, cylindrical, rim portions knurled to grip the work effectively and advance the same step by step in the; formation of; a seam. Reference may be had to the above mentioned Rubel et al. patent for details of suitable driving means for the feed cups. The cup 20 is secured by a set-screw, or the like, to the lower end of av shaft 22 journaled in a depending bushing or hearing sleeve 23 carried by the overhanging portion of the frame. Similarly, the cup. 2| isv secured; by a set-screw, or the like, to a shaft 24 journaled: in a, bushing or bearing sleeve 25 carried by a rock member 26 secured to a stud or shaft, 27 mounted horizontally in the overhanging portion of the frame I0. Adjacent one end of the shaft 21 is secured an arm 28 which extends rearwardly in the overhanging portion of. the frame and is engaged at its inner, free end by a vertically disposed spring 29 surrounding a rod 30 slidably mounted in the vertical portion of the frame. As morefully disclosed in the above mentioned Hacklander patent, the lower end of the spring 29 may be arranged to engage the upper end of an adjustable sleeve 3| by which the tension of the spring may be readily varied. Through the coaction of the parts described, it

will beseen: that: the outer feed cup. 2| is urged yi'eldingly-against theinner feed cup 20 or against the work which. is held between the two feed cups. Tofacilitate the introduction of the work betweenthe feed. cups, any suitable means may be provided for separating the cups. to a limited extent, such as a connection from a foot treadle (not shown) to the lower end of the rod 30. Downward movementv of this rod will cause rocking of the arm 23 in a counter-clockwise direction. (Fig. I), thereby shifting the feed cup 2| outwardly away from the cup 20.

A. bracket member 32 (Fig. II) is secured (by means not shown) to the overhanging portion of. the frame and extends downwardly adjacent to, and parallel with, the shaft 22' to a point within the feed cup 20. At. the lower end of this bracket there is secured a support member 33', the outer end 34 of which fits within, the rim ofthe cup 24- and partially overlies the upper edge-of this rim. The curved end 34 is provided with a guide slot or notch for the needle l3a. A stitch finger 35, extending along the line of stitching just above the upper edges of the rims of the feed cups, may be. secured by screws. 35. to. the support member 33. At the lower end of the bearing sleeve 25 there is provided a laterally extending, flange 3'4. which is within the feed cup 2|. just above a central boss'in its bottom. To this flange there is secured, by screws 38 and 39, a support member 40., one end 4| of which provides a guide for the needle |3a as the latter is projected across, the line of stitching and over the top of: the. feed, cup 2|-..- A stud 42, secured by. a screwthreaded portion at, its lower end to the support member 40, provides, a pivot for an arm, 43.. A hub member 43a, to which the arm is. secured, surrounds the stud 42 and permits the arm to be swung freely in a horizontal plane. The arm isurged, however, in a clockwise direction (Fig. 11) by means of a spring 44, one end of which is hooked around the edge of the support member 4|) and the other end; of which is engaged in any one of a seriesofapertures 45 in the hub of the arm43. A portion of the spring 4- 44 is suitably wrapped about the hub member 43a. At its outer end there is secured to the arm, by means of a screw 46, a horizontally extending fiange 41 integral with a vertically disposed plate 48. One end of the latter is provided with an extension 49 which is preferably curved or bent over a sweeping arc (as best shown. in Fig. 11) and forms a guide finger beneath the cup 20 extending to a point adjacent the shaft 22. A suitable clearance is provided, however, between the, guide finger and the bottom, as well as the hub of the cup, to enable free movement of the plate 48 with the arm 43 into th dot and dash position indicated in Fig. II. The spring 44, actthe blade.

ing upon the arm 43, serves to urge the side of the plate 48yieldingly against the periphery of the feed cup 2| at a point about 60 from the stitching point. On the outer face of the plate 48, in. the region of the point of engagement of the plate with the feed cup 2 I, there is mounted a cutter blade 50 which is preferably secured to the plate by a pair of over-turned tabs 5|. integral with the plate adjacent the lower end of The blade extends in a vertical plane with the cutting edge 52 disposed at an angle of about 45 degrees to the horizontal. The upper portion of this cutting edge is exposed while the lower portion may be protected by the edge 53 of the plate 48, which extends beyond the cutting edge of the blade at this point.

In the operation of the machine, the edges 54 of the work, which are to be stitched together in the seaming operation, are inserted appropriately between the blades of the uncurler 55, which may be of any suitable and well known construction. From the uncurler the work is passed between the feed cups and after an appropriate length of the seam has been formed, the end of the work I is gripped between the plate 48 and the periphery of the cup, these parts thus serving as a puller to keep-the work smooth and taut. As will. be seen, the plate 43 extends across the line of feed of the work and, therefore, automatically directs the work, particularly the leading edges of the succeeding articles in a continuous series, intothe converging passage between the plate and feed cup 2|. As the end of the seam on one article is approached, the next article is introduced between the uncurler blades and into the big-ht. of the feed cups 20, and 2|, leaving only a relatively small distance between the two articles over which the stitch-forming devices need to form a free chain. When this chain reaches the point of engagement between the plate 48 and the cup 2|, the machine is stopped momentarily and the operator, by a simple movement of the hand, draws the chain across the cutting edge 52-, by either a downward or an upward movement, thus severing the completed article from the one being stitched. The finished article may simply be dropped, by the same movement, into a basket.

conveniently located below the feed cups. The succeeding article is then finished in the same mannerand another article introduced with but a small section of chaining between the articles. This same series of operations maybe repeated indefinitely.

While an illustrative form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be understood, that numerous changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts without departing from the general principles and scope of the invention. The terms and; expressionsusediherein have been employed; 1

as terms of description; and not of limitation.

What we claim is:

1. In a cup-feed sewing machine a pair of feed cups, means for urging said cups into cooperative engagement, a bodily shiftable plate extending across the path of feed of the work fed by said cups in a direction tangent to one of the pair of cups at a point on the discharge side thereof, said plate having a work guiding portion extending across the periphery of the other of said cups to a point beneath the same, means for shifting said plate into and out of operative position, and spring means for urging said plate yieldingly against said one of said feed cups when the plate is in operative position.

2. In a cup-feed sewing machine a pair of feed cups, means for urging said cups into cooperative engagement, a plate extending across the path of feed of the work fed by said cups, and spring means for urging said plate yieldingly against one of said feed cups, said plate having a portion extending beneath the other of said feed cups toward the axis thereof to assist in directing the work between the plate and said one of the feed cups.

3. In a cup-feed sewing machine a pair of feed cups, means for urging said cups into cooperative engagement, a plate extending across the path of feed of the work fed by said cups, a pivoted arm carrying said plate, and spring means urging said arm in one direction to engage said plate yieldingly with one of said feed cups, said plate having a portion extending beneath the other of said feed cups to assist in directing the work between the plate and said one of the feed cups, said arm and plate being adapted to be swung outwardly into inactive position.

4. In a cup-feed sewing machine a pair of feed cups, means for urging said cups into cooperative engagement, a plate extending across the path of feed of the work fed by said cups, an arm carrying said plate, said arm being pivoted about a point within one of said feed cups, and spring means urging said arm in a direction to engage said plate yieldingly with the periphery of said one of said feed cups, said plate having a portion extending beneath the other of said feed cups toward the axis thereof but having suificient clearance therefrom to enable said plate and arm to be swung outwardly into inactive position.

5. In a cup-feed sewing machine a pair of feed cups, means for urging said cups into cooperative engagement, a pivotally mounted plate extending across the path of feed of the work fed by said cups on the discharge side thereof, said plate being tangent to one of said cups and having a free end extending beneath the other, and spring means for urging said plate yieldingly against the periphery of one of said feed cups to provide a feeding action in conjunction therewith, said plate carrying a thread cutting edge closely adjacent the point of engagement of said plate with said one of said feed cups.

6. In a cup-feed sewing machine a pair of feed cups, means for urging said cups into cooperative engagement, a plate extending across the path of feed of the work fed by said cups on the discharge side thereof, and spring means for urging said plate yieldingly against the periphery of one of said feed cups to provide a feeding action in conjunction therewith, said plate carrying a thread cutting edge disposed in a substantially vertical plane parallel with the cup engaging portion of said plate and closely adjacent the point of engagement of said plate with said one of said feed cups.

7. In a cup-feed sewing machine a pair of feed cups, means for urging said cups into cooperative engagement, a plate extending across the path of feed of the work fed by said cups on the discharge side thereof, spring means for urging said plate yieldingly against the periphery of one of said feed cups to provide a feeding action in conjunction therewith, and a vertically disposed, readily replaceable cutting blade carried by said plate closely adjacent its point of engagement with said one of said feed cups and presenting a chain cutting edge at substantially the elevation thereof.

8. In a cup-feed sewing machine a pair of cooperating feed cups rotatable about vertical axes, a vertically disposed cutting blade supported on the exit side of said feed cups, said blade having a cutting edge in a vertical plane disposed closely adjacent one of said feed cups and at substantially the elevation thereof, and means for directing the work along a path passing between said blade and said one of said feed cups.

9. In a cup-feed sewing machine work feeding means including a pair of cooperating feed cups rotatable about vertical axes, an arm pivoted adjacent one of said feed cups, and a vertically disposed cutting blade carried by said arm on the exit side of said feed cups presenting a cutting edge in a vertical plane substantially in the path of feed of said work feeding means. 10. In a cup-feed sewing machine work feeding means including a, pair of cooperating feed cups rotatable about vertical axes, anarm pivoted adjacent one of said feed cups, a vertically disposed cutting blade carried by said arm on the exit side of said feed cups presenting an inclined cutting edge in a vertical plane substantially in the path of feed of said work feeding means, and spring means urging said arm in a direction to carry said blade toward one of said feed cups.

11. In a cup-feed machine a pair of feed cups, means for urging said cups into cooperative engagement, plate-like means in the path of feed of the work fed by said cups, said plate-like means being tangent to one of said pair of cups at a point on the discharge side thereof, means associated with said plate-like means and cooperating therewith to direct the work between said plate-like means and the cup engaged thereby, said associated means extending beneath the other of said cups, means for supporting said plate-like means for movement into and out of operative position, and spring means for urging said plate-like means yieldingly against said one of said feed cups when the plate is in operative position.

HAROLD J. LE VESCON'IE. MARTIN L. COOK. 

